March 23rd 2024.
Dragon Ball Z has had a profound impact on countless individuals, inspiring them to strive for their best selves. When the news of legendary manga author Akira Toriyama's passing spread on March 8, people from all over the world expressed an unprecedented outpouring of grief. Despite being a private and reclusive figure, Toriyama's beloved Dragon Ball series had touched the lives of so many, and his death was mourned in a way that most politicians and celebrities could only dream of.
In Argentina, 30,000 people gathered in the streets of Buenos Aires for a mass celebration of Toriyama's life. The government of El Salvador declared an official period of mourning. Even the Chinese and Brazilian governments paid their respects to the departed mangaka and recognized his immense influence on their cultures. French President Emmanuel Macron, who had knighted Toriyama in 2021, shared a custom artwork gifted to him by the artist on Twitter.
Toriyama's most famous creation, Dragon Ball, first hit the shelves in 1984. It was initially a loose retelling of the classic Chinese epic 'Journey to the West,' but with a greater focus on humor and martial arts. Audiences were captivated by the animated adventures of Son Goku, a carefree and charmingly naive boy with a passion for fighting. He was on a quest to become stronger and collect the series' namesake 'dragon balls' - magical orbs with the power to grant wishes.
While the series was a big hit in Japan, its sequel, Dragon Ball Z, truly propelled the franchise into the stratosphere. With a shift in tone from fantasy to sci-fi and a now-adult Goku, the series blended Toriyama's off-beat humor with high-stakes, serialized storytelling, and intense, bloody fight sequences. Laser beams and flashy transformations added to the excitement, making Dragon Ball Z an instant global phenomenon wherever it was broadcast.
For many young viewers, Dragon Ball was not just their introduction to anime, but to a whole new world of long-form storytelling. Over the years, they followed Goku's growth from a boy to a man, saw him start a family, and watched as he developed from a novice martial artist into the strongest warrior in the universe. Fans of the show grew up alongside Goku, and his journey resonated with them deeply.
The tale of Dragon Ball is a simple one, but it is this simplicity that made the series universally appealing. Every culture could relate to Goku's pure-hearted nature, his otherness, and his unwavering determination to surpass his limits. This, coupled with Toriyama's mastery of visual language and distinct character designs, elevated the series to a form of modern-day folklore. It became a parable about self-improvement, and its central tenets became embedded in almost every aspect of popular culture.
According to anime scholar Derek Padula, who runs the blog 'The Dao of Dragon Ball' and has written nine books on the series, "Dragon Ball is more than just the world's greatest action anime. It has a philosophy, a spirituality, and a worldview that fans absorb as they watch and read it, affecting the way they see the world."
Toriyama never intended to teach any lessons through his work; he simply wanted to create pure entertainment. So why does Dragon Ball resonate with so many people? Padula explains that the series is rooted in the framework of the Chinese parable 'Journey to the West.' This story, with its Buddhist and Daoist themes of self-cultivation and reaching enlightenment, had become a common part of Japanese pop culture. Toriyama used it as an easy foundation for his story, but the series is not just about action and entertainment. It is underpinned by these deep spiritual themes, making it much more than meets the eye.
Goku's journey and the struggles he faces resonated with fans from all walks of life. His humble beginnings and underdog spirit made him a hero for people from lower-economic backgrounds who aspire to better themselves. And a reveal in the middle of the series that he is the last surviving member of a powerful alien race, destroyed by a tyrant, aligned his journey with that of oppressed people of all races and backgrounds.
In his book 'The Tao of Wu,' rapper and intellectual RZA, founder of the Wu-Tang Clan, equated Goku's journey with the struggles faced by African Americans. He wrote, "Take even a cartoon like Dragon Ball Z. I mean, it's a cartoon, but it's also one of the deepest cartoons in history. Its hero, Son Goku, starts out as a kid, begins martial arts training, and sets off on a quest for seven balls that can unleash dragons which grant wishes. Now that's a fantasy, obviously, a children's story, but it's also based on a sixteenth-century Chinese folk novel about a Buddhist monk which represents a journey to enlightenment."
RZA goes on to explain how, as the series progresses, we learn that Goku is part of an ancient race of fierce warriors from a distant planet. But a head injury erased his memories and his self-knowledge, and it's not until he is pushed beyond his limits that he discovers his true potential and transforms into the powerful Super Saiyan. To RZA, this is a powerful metaphor for the struggles faced by African Americans in their search for identity and self-discovery.
Dragon Ball has become a modern-day folk tale, inspiring people from all over the world to embrace self-improvement and reach their full potential. Its universal appeal lies in its message of perseverance, determination, and the belief that we all have the power to become our best selves. As Padula puts it, "Dragon Ball sets us free to become who we want to be."
The impact of Dragon Ball Z on people's lives cannot be understated. The legendary manga author, Akira Toriyama, passed away on March 8 and the world was shaken with grief. Despite being a private person who rarely left Japan, Toriyama's death was mourned in a way that many politicians and celebrities can only dream of. In Argentina, 30,000 people came together in Buenos Aires to celebrate his life, while El Salvador's government declared a period of mourning. Even the Chinese and Brazilian governments paid tribute to Toriyama, recognizing his immense influence on their cultures. French President, Emmanuel Macron, who was knighted by Toriyama in 2021, shared custom artwork gifted to him by the late artist on Twitter.
Toriyama's most famous creation, Dragon Ball, began in 1984 as a humorous retelling of the classic Chinese epic, 'Journey to the West'. The main character, Son Goku, was a carefree and naive boy with a love for martial arts. Audiences followed his animated adventures as he searched for the powerful 'dragon balls' that could grant wishes. The series was a hit in Japan, but it was the sequel, Dragon Ball Z, that truly propelled it to international fame. With a shift towards sci-fi and intense fight sequences featuring flashy transformations and laser beams, the series became a global phenomenon in every country it was broadcasted.
For many young viewers, Dragon Ball was not just their first introduction to anime, but also to a new form of long-form storytelling. As the series progressed, audiences watched Goku grow from a boy into a man, start a family, and become the strongest warrior in the universe. The simplicity of the series' message, coupled with Toriyama's unique visual style and character designs, elevated it to a modern-day folklore. Its central theme of self-improvement resonated with people from all walks of life, and its influence can be seen in various aspects of popular culture.
Derek Padula, an anime scholar and author of nine books on the series, explains that Dragon Ball is more than just an action anime. It is built upon the framework of the Buddhist and Daoist parable, 'Journey to the West', which focuses on self-cultivation and reaching enlightenment. Toriyama initially used this framework as it was well-known in Japan, but as the series progressed, its underlying spiritual and philosophical themes became more prominent. Fans of the series were drawn to Goku's determination to better himself and surpass his limits, and in turn, felt inspired to do the same.
The universal appeal of Dragon Ball is what allowed it to spread seamlessly across the globe. Goku's pure-hearted nature, humble beginnings, and underdog spirit made him a champion amongst those seeking to improve themselves, while his journey as the sole survivor of a destroyed race resonated with oppressed people of all backgrounds. In fact, in RZA's book of philosophy, 'The Tao of Wu', the rapper compared Goku's journey to that of African-Americans. He saw the struggles and triumphs of the character as a reflection of his own community's experiences.
Dragon Ball Z has become more than just a cartoon; it is a symbol of self-improvement and overcoming adversity. Its impact on people's lives and its ability to transcend cultural barriers is a testament to the power of storytelling. Toriyama's legacy will continue to inspire countless individuals to become their best selves, and his beloved creation, Dragon Ball, will live on in the hearts of fans for generations to come.
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